The Puntacana Group announced it has acquired 100% of the shares of Diario Libre with the operation that was signed on 21 July 2023. Diario Libre is the local print newspaper with the largest circulation in the Dominican Republic.
Newspaper founder Anibal de Castro, who after leaving the newspaper went on to hold a career as a diplomat, is the new president. Businesswoman Haydee Kuret de Rainieri is the vice president, Grupo Puntacana announced.
Diario Libre and Grupo Puntacana over the years have shared a special interest for defending the environment in the Dominican Republic.
From a small hotel and beach home operation, the Grupo Puntacana has gone on to be operator of the private airport with the most flights in the world, and a major global player in the tourism and services sectors.
The founder of the group responsible for having promoted the tourist destination of Punta Cana is Frank Rainieri Marranzini and currently the CEO is his son Frank Elías Rainieri Kuret.
The Pellerano family founded Grupo Diario Libre under the leadership of Arturo Pellerano. Diario Libre was the first free nationally circulated daily newspaper printed in the country with the highest incidence in national life.
Its founding director was Aníbal de Castro, who now returns as publisher. He was followed by the late Miguel Adriano Tejeda and after his death, Inés Aizpún assumed the position she continues to hold.
Although the executives of the Puntacana and Diario Libre groups had been negotiating for several months, the companies report that it was on Wednesday, 21 July 2023 when the transaction was signed and on Thursday, when it was announced to Diario Libre employees.
“We will continue to work hard to offer relevant, reliable, and timely content to our readers and audience,” a statement from the newspaper tells its readers on 24 July 2023.
The joint statement of the Grupo Puntacana and Grupo Diario Libre (Omnimedia) states that more than commercial reasons, that behind the purchase is the interest to contribute to the strengthening of democracy, the development of the country and improvement of society through a free and independent press. “This investment is a challenge we face with responsibility and enthusiasm,” states Grupo Puntacana.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
El Dia
24 July 2023